Flat conductor connection



. May 29, 1 945.

W. F BONVVITT FLAT CONDUCTOR CONNECTION Filed Sept. 15, 1943 NWT; '1 1? v 2 INVENTOR M'Zkelm zbkfiamw'ii g dr ATTORN Y Patented May 29, 1945 FLAT CONDUCTOR CONNECTION Wilhelm Friedrich Bonwitt, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assignor to Burndy Engineering Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application September 15, 1943, Serial No. 502,711

3 Claims.

My invention relates to an electrical connection whereby a flat conductor may be secured to a tubular type of electrical connector.

Electrical connectors which are installed by means of an indentation are generally used with conductors having a circular cross section. In the case of a solid wire conductor the cross section is a true circle, while it can be considered a circle for all practical purposes in the case of a stranded cable conductor. However, it is sometimes desirable to use such indented connectors with conductors, the cross sections of which are not circular, such as flexible braids, sheet metal strips, in general, conductors with a rectangular cross section and of a certain flexibility. The term "conductor" in the claims is so limited.

As most conductors have a circular cross section, practically all connectors have a tubular Portion to accommodate the conductor. While such a tubular portion is not designed to fit conductors of a rectangular shape it would be desirable to use these connectors with such conductors.

Accordingly my primary object is to install a flat conductor to a tubular type connector.

A iurther object is to provide such a connection in a manner which will permit the use of a tool for furnishing an indentation for securing the conductor and connection together.

Still another object is to provide the aforesaid connection with all contact areas in intimate engagement with one another.

Another object is to force the conductor to conform to the inside surface of the tubular portion of the connector thereby insuring high contact pressure.

I accomplish these and other objects and obtain my novel results as will be apparent from the procedure described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the attached claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a fiat conductor attached to two tubular connectors.

Figure 2 is the side elevation with one connection in longitudinal cross section.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a fiat conductor before forming.

Figure 4 is a erspective view of the same, after the end is rounded.

Figure 5.is a cross-section of the connection shown in Figure 2 taken along the line 5-5.

Reference numeral (0 designates a flat conductor shown in Figure 3, having an end section II to whic it is des red to attach the tubular connector l2.

I accomplish this connection by shaping the end section II, into tubular shape Ila, having a length approximately equal to the length of the tubular portion of the conductor.

The rounded conductor end H, is then inserted into the barrel I3, of the connector l2, and a cylindrical plug I4 is forced into the hollow portion of conductor end H, until the barrel I3 is completely closed.

An indentation l5 may then be made. preferably on the side of the barrel which will cause maximum engagement with the flat conductor end I] causing it to be locked to the plug 14 and both conductor and plug locked to the connector l0. Other well known securing means may be used.

The flat conductor I 0 may be a heater strip requiring tools to shape it to conform to the connector barrel, or it may be a flexible braid, which may be Wrapped about the plug 14 before inserting the two into the barrel. The ends of the shaped fiat conductor may overlap but it is preferable that they should not form a completely closed sleeve, with the sides butting against each other.

The plug preferably should be made of a fairly hard, solid metal, depending upon the metal from which conductor and connector are made where corrosion is to be avoided. The length of this plug or insert should be equal to the length of the tubular portion or barrel of the connector. Its diameter should be determined by the inside diameter of the connector barrel, the thickness of the conductor and certain clearances for insertion, so that a snug fit exists when the plug and the connector are inserted into the barrel.

The conductor may be inserted into the barrel of the connector simultaneously with the plug.

The contact between connector and conductor provided by such an arrangement is apt to be very good because the conductor is pressed against the inner wall of the barrel over a considerable area, which is at least as great as in the case of a circular conductor. As the compressibility of the comparatively hard, solid plug is low, the conductor is forced to conform to the barrel of the connector, thereby insuring high contact pressure.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means or which, obieetso! my invention are attained and new results accomplished. as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

1. .An electrical connection comprising a flat conductor having a transversely rounded end; a cylindrical plug of suitable size, positioned in said rounded end; and a metal connector hav inga tubular body with the rounded end 01' the conductor and the plug, positioned therein, said connector, conductor and plug secured togethe to form a unitary connection.

2, An electrical connection comprising a iiat conductor having a transversely rounded end, the flattened width of which is equal to the width of the flat connector; a cylindrical plug oi suitable size, positioned in said rounded end; and a metal connector having a tubular body with the rounded end of the conductor and the plus, 9081- tioned therein, said connector, conductor and plug secured together to form a unitary connection.

3. An electrical connection comprising a flat conductor having a transversely rounded end; a cylindrical plug oi suitable size, positioned in said rounded end; and a metal connector having a tubular body with the rounded end of the conductor and plug, positioned therein, said connector, conductor and plug indented together through the central part of the rounded end of the flat conductor. a

WILHELM FRIEDRICH BONWI'I'I'. 

